Centro has appointed Balfour Beatty to extend the Midland Metro through Birmingham city centre. The contract is for a 1.4km extension linking the city’s two major rail stations.

Balfour Beatty will be responsible for designing, constructing, testing and commissioning for the new £18.6m tramway as well as public realm improvements and formalized agreements with the supply chain to achieve local recruitment levels of 75%.

Centro’s chief executive Geoff Inskip said: “This is a prestigious project in the heart of Birmingham which demands a construction partner of the calibre of Balfour Beatty.

“We worked with Balfour Beatty last year when they built the Metro bridge for us over Great Charles Street. That was a clear demonstration of their proven track record in delivering projects on budget and on time.”

Bill Gifford, director of operations for Balfour Beatty said:  “We have a longstanding presence in the West Midlands, so we’re delighted to be delivering a scheme that will contribute so significantly to the region’s economic and social prosperity. We are also committed to helping build lasting communities, and as a local employer we want to make sure that throughout the duration of the project, we’re helping to support those who are currently unemployed getting back to work.”